DOCSLIB.ORG

The Fine-Tuning of the Universe for Intelligent Life

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Fine-Tuning of the Universe for Intelligent Life The Fine-Tuning of the Universe for Intelligent Life Luke A. Barnes Institute for Astronomy ETH Zurich Switzerland Sydney Institute for Astronomy School of Physics University of Sydney Australia June 11, 2012 Abstract The fine-tuning of the universe for intelligent life has received a great deal of attention in recent years, both in the philosophical and scientific literature. The claim is that in the space of possible physical laws, parameters and initial conditions, the set that permits the evolution of intelligent life is very small. I present here a review of the scientific literature, outlining cases of fine-tuning in the classic works of Carter, Carr and Rees, and Barrow and Tipler, as well as more recent work. To sharpen the discussion, the role of the antagonist will be played by Victor Stenger's recent book The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning: Why the Universe is Not Designed for Us. Stenger claims that all known fine-tuning cases can be explained without the need for a multiverse. Many of Stenger's claims will be found to be highly problematic. We will touch on such issues as the logical necessity of the laws of nature; objectivity, invariance and symmetry; theoretical physics and possible universes; entropy in cosmology; cosmic inflation and initial conditions; galaxy formation; the cosmological constant; stars and their formation; the properties of elementary particles and their effect on chemistry and the macroscopic world; arXiv:1112.4647v2 [physics.hist-ph] 7 Jun 2012 the origin of mass; grand unified theories; and the dimensionality of space and time. I also provide an assessment of the multiverse, noting the significant challenges that it must face. I do not attempt to defend any conclusion based on the fine-tuning of the universe for intelligent life. This paper can be viewed as a critique of Stenger's book, or read independently. Contents 1 Introduction 2 2 Cautionary Tales 4 3 Stenger's Case 6 4 Cases of Fine-Tuning 7 4.1 The Laws of Nature . 7 4.2 The Wedge . 19 4.3 Entropy . 23 4.4 Inflation . 27 4.5 The Amplitude of Primordial Fluctuations Q . 32 4.6 Cosmological Constant Λ . 34 4.7 Stars . 39 4.8 Forces and Masses . 42 4.9 Dimensionality of Spacetime . 55 5 The Multiverse 57 5.1 How to Make A Multiverse . 58 5.2 Is it Science? . 58 5.3 The Principle of Mediocrity . 59 5.4 Coolness and the Measure Problem . 59 5.5 Our Island in the Multiverse . 60 5.6 Boltzmann's Revenge . 61 5.7 Conclusion . 62 6 Conclusions and Future 63 A Stenger on Cosmology 64 A.1 The Hubble Parameter and The Age of the Universe . 64 A.2 The Parameters of the Concordance Model . 65 A.3 Neutrino Masses . 66 A.4 Charge Neutrality . 67 A.5 Of G and αG .................................... 68 B MonkeyGod 68 1 Introduction The fine-tuning of the universe for intelligent life has received much attention in recent times. Beginning with the classic papers of Carter (1974) and Carr & Rees (1979), and the extensive discussion of Barrow & Tipler (1986), a number of authors have noticed that very small changes in the laws, parameters and initial conditions of physics would result in a universe unable to evolve and support intelligent life. We begin by defining our terms. We will refer to the laws of nature, initial conditions and physical constants of a particular universe as its physics for short. Conversely, we define a 2 `universe' be a connected region of spacetime over which physics is effectively constant1. The claim that the universe is fine-tuned can be formulated as: FT: In the set of possible physics, the subset that permit the evolution of life is very small. FT can be understood as a counterfactual claim, that is, a claim about what would have been. Such claims are not uncommon in everyday life. For example, we can formulate the claim that Roger Federer would almost certainly defeat me in a game of tennis as: \in the set of possible games of tennis between myself and Roger Federer, the set in which I win is extremely small". This claim is undoubtedly true, even though none of the infinitely-many possible games has been played. Our formulation of FT, however, is in obvious need of refinement. What determines the set of possible physics? Where exactly do we draw the line between \universes"? How is \smallness" being measured? Are we considering only cases where the evolution of life is physically impossible or just extremely improbable? What is life? We will press on with the our formulation of FT as it stands, pausing to note its inadequacies when appropriate. As it stands, FT is precise enough to distinguish itself from a number of other claims for which it is often mistaken. FT is not the claim that this universe is optimal for life, that it contains the maximum amount of life per unit volume or per baryon, that carbon-based life is the only possible type of life, or that the only kinds of universes that support life are minor variations on this universe. These claims, true or false, are simply beside the point. The reason why FT is an interesting claim is that it makes the existence of life in this universe appear to be something remarkable, something in need of explanation. The intuition here is that, if ours were the only universe, and if the causes that established the physics of our universe were indifferent to whether it would evolve life, then the chances of hitting upon a life-permitting universe are very small. As Leslie (1989, pg. 121) notes, \[a] chief reason for thinking that something stands in special need of explanation is that we actually glimpse some tidy way in which it might be explained". Consider the following tidy explanations: • This universe is one of a large number of variegated universes, produced by physical processes that randomly scan through (a subset of) the set of possible physics. Even- tually, a universe will be created that is a member of the life-permitting set. Only such universes can be observed, since only such universes contain observers. • There exists a transcendent, personal creator of the universe. This entity desires to create a universe in which other minds will be able to form. Thus, the entity chooses from the set of possibilities a universe which is foreseen to evolve intelligent life2. These scenarios are neither mutually exclusive nor exhaustive, but if either or both were true then we would have a tidy explanation of why our universe, against the odds, supports the evolution of life. Our discussion of the multiverse will touch on the so-called anthropic principle, which we will formulate as follows: 1We may wish to stipulate that a given observer by definition only observes one universe. Such finer points will not effect our discussion 2The counter-argument presented in Stenger's book (page 252), borrowing from a paper by Ikeda and Jeffreys, does not address this possibility. Rather, it argues against a deity which intervenes to sustain life in this universe. I have discussed this elsewhere: ikedajeff.notlong.com 3 AP: If observers observe anything, they will observe conditions that permit the existence of observers. Tautological? Yes! The anthropic principle is best thought of as a selection effect. Selection effects occur whenever we observe a non-random sample of an underlying population. Such effects are well known to astronomers. An example is Malmquist bias | in any survey of the distant universe, we will only observe objects that are bright enough to be detected by our telescope. This statement is tautological, but is nevertheless non-trivial. The penalty of ignoring Malmquist bias is a plague of spurious correlations. For example, it will seem that distant galaxies are on average intrinsically brighter than nearby ones. A selection bias alone cannot explain anything. Consider the case of quasars. When first discovered, quasars were thought to be a strange new kind of star in our galaxy. Schmidt (1963) measured their redshift, showing that they were more than a million times further away than previously thought. It follows that they must be incredibly bright. The question that naturally arises is: how are quasars so luminous? The (best) answer is: because quasars are powered by gravitational energy released by matter falling into a super-massive black hole (Zel'dovich, 1964; Lynden-Bell, 1969). The answer is not: because otherwise we wouldn't see them. Noting that if we observe any object in the very distant universe then it must be very bright does not explain why we observe any distant objects at all. Similarly, AP cannot explain why life and its necessary conditions exist at all. In anticipation of future sections, Table 1 defines some relevant physical quantities. 2 Cautionary Tales There are a few fallacies to keep in mind as we consider cases of fine-tuning. The Cheap-Binoculars Fallacy: \Don't waste money buying expensive binoculars. Sim- ply stand closer to the object you wish to view"3. We can make any point (or outcome) in possibility space seem more likely by zooming-in on its neighbourhood. Having identified the life-permitting region of parameter space, we can make it look big by deftly choosing the limits of the plot. We could also distort parameter space using, for example, logarithmic axes. A good example of this fallacy is quantifying the fine-tuning of a parameter relative to its value in our universe, rather than the totality of possibility space. If a dart lands 3 mm from the centre of a dartboard, is it obviously fallacious to say that because the dart could have landed twice as far away and still scored a bullseye, therefore the throw is only fine-tuned to a factor of two and there is \plenty of room" inside the bullseye.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Conflict Between Liberty of Conscience and Church Authority
    Reformed Theological Seminary THE CONFLICT BETWEEN LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE AND CHURCH AUTHORITY IN TODAY’S EVANGELICAL CHURCH An Integrated Thesis Submitted to Dr. Donald Fortson In Candidacy for the Degree Of Master of Arts By Gregory W. Perry July 2005 Table of Contents Acknowledgments……………………………………………………………………. iii 1. The Conflict between Liberty of Conscience and Church Authority Introduction…………………………………………………………………… 1 The Power Struggle…………………………………………………………… 6 2. The Bible on Liberty of Conscience and Church Authority The Liberty of the Conscience in Its Proper Place……………………………. 14 Church Authority: The Obligation to Obedience……………………………... 30 The Scope of Church Authority………………………………………………. 40 Church Discipline: The Practical Application of Church Authority………….. 54 3. The History of Liberty of Conscience and Church Authority The Reformed Conscience……………………………………………………. 69 The Puritan Conscience………………………………………………………. 81 The Evolution of the American Conscience………………………………….. 95 4. Application for Today The State of the Church Today………………………………………………. 110 The Purpose-Driven Conscience…………………………………………….. 117 Feeding the Fear of Church Authority……………………………………….. 127 Practical Implications………………………………………………………… 139 Selected Bibliography………………………………………………………………... 153 ii Acknowledgements I would like to thank Reverend P.G. Mathew and the elders of Grace Valley Christian Center in Davis, California for their inspiration behind this thesis topic. The first way they inspired this thesis is through their faithful preaching of God’s Word, right administration of the sacraments, and their uncompromising resolve to exercise biblical discipline. Their godly example of faithfulness in leading their flock in the manner that the Scriptures require was the best resource in formulating these ideas. The second inspiration was particularly a set of sermons that Pastor Mathew preached on Libertinism from March 28-May 2, 2004.
    [Show full text]
  • ED390648.Pdf
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 390 648 SE 056 959 AUTHOR Poole, Michael TITLE Beliefs and Values in Science Education. Developing Science and Technology Education. REPORT NO ISBN-0-335-15645-2 PUB DATE 95 NOTE 146p. AVAILABLE FROM Open University Press, Suite 101, 1900 Frost Road, Bristol, PA 19007 (hardcover: ISBN-0-335-15646-0; paperback: ISBN-0-335-15645-2). PUB TYPE Reports Evaluative/Feasibility (142) Books (010) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC06 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Beliefs; *Cultural Influences; Elementary Secondary Education; Foreign Countries; Moral Values; Science Curriculum; Science Instruction; Social Values; Student Attitudes; Technology; *Values ABSTRACT This book asserts that beliefs and values are integral to the scientific enterprise and the theory and practice of education and hence science education, and that it is desirable to explore such matters in the classroom. It aims at helping science teachers demonstrate how spiritual, moral, social, and cultural factors affect science. Chapter 1, "Everybody Needs Standards," begins by looking at ways in which beliefs and values are located within science and within education and moves on to fundamental matters about the bases of belief systems. Chapter 2, "What Science Cannot Discover, Mankind Cannot Know?" considers how beliefs about the nature of the scientific enterprise have affected popular views about the status of science, and the particular educational task this presents. The ways in which beliefs and values affect the language of science, its models, and metaphors, is the theme of chapter 3, "Every Comparison Has a Limp." Chapter 4, "Wanted! Alive or Dead," addresses issues of environmental beliefs and models. Chapcer 5, "In the Beginning," deals with teaching about the Earth in space and traces out current interest in metaphysical as well as physical questions about origin.
    [Show full text]
  • The Fine-Tuning of the Universe for Intelligent Life
    CSIRO PUBLISHING Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 2012, 29, 529–564 Review http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/AS12015 The Fine-Tuning of the Universe for Intelligent Life L. A. Barnes Institute for Astronomy, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, and Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney, Australia. Email: [email protected] Abstract: The fine-tuning of the universe for intelligent life has received a great deal of attention in recent years, both in the philosophical and scientific literature. The claim is that in the space of possible physical laws, parameters and initial conditions, the set that permits the evolution of intelligent life is very small. I present here a review of the scientific literature, outlining cases of fine-tuning in the classic works of Carter, Carr and Rees, and Barrow and Tipler, as well as more recent work. To sharpen the discussion, the role of the antagonist will be played by Victor Stenger’s recent book The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning: Why the Universe is Not Designed for Us. Stenger claims that all known fine-tuning cases can be explained without the need for a multiverse. Many of Stenger’s claims will be found to be highly problematic. We will touch on such issues as the logical necessity of the laws of nature; objectivity, invariance and symmetry; theoretical physics and possible universes; entropy in cosmology; cosmic inflation and initial conditions; galaxy formation; the cosmological constant; stars and their formation; the properties of elementary particles and their effect on chemistry and the macroscopic world; the origin of mass; grand unified theories; and the dimensionality of space and time.
    [Show full text]
  • A Constructive Theology of Truth As a Divine Name with Reference to the Bible and Augustine
    A Constructive Theology of Truth as a Divine Name with reference to the Bible and Augustine by Emily Sumner Kempson Murray Edwards College September 2019 This dissertation is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Copyright © 2020 Emily Sumner Kempson 2 Preface This thesis is the result of my own work and includes nothing which is the outcome of work done in collaboration except as declared in the Preface and specified in the text. It is not substantially the same as any that I have submitted, or, is being concurrently submitted for a degree or diploma or other qualification at the University of Cambridge or any other University or similar institution except as declared in the Preface and specified in the text. I further state that no substantial part of my dissertation has already been submitted, or, is being concurrently submitted for any such degree, diploma or other qualification at the University of Cambridge or any other University or similar institution except as declared in the Preface and specified in the text. It does not exceed the prescribed word limit for the relevant Degree Committee. 3 4 A Constructive Theology of Truth as a Divine Name with Reference to the Bible and Augustine (Summary) Emily Sumner Kempson This study is a work of constructive theology that retrieves the ancient Christian understanding of God as truth for contemporary theological discourse and points to its relevance to biblical studies and philosophy of religion. The contribution is threefold: first, the thesis introduces a novel method for constructive theology, consisting of developing conceptual parameters from source material which are then combined into a theological proposal.
    [Show full text]
  • Practical Objectivity: Keeping Natural Science Natural Alan G
    Luther Seminary Digital Commons @ Luther Seminary Faculty Publications Faculty & Staff choS larship 2012 Practical Objectivity: Keeping Natural Science Natural Alan G. Padgett Luther Seminary, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.luthersem.edu/faculty_articles Part of the Christianity Commons, Philosophy of Science Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Padgett, Alan G., "Practical Objectivity: Keeping Natural Science Natural" (2012). Faculty Publications. 309. https://digitalcommons.luthersem.edu/faculty_articles/309 Published Citation Padgett, Alan G. “Practical Objectivity: Keeping Natural Science Natural.” In The Blackwell Companion to Science and Christianity, edited by J. B. Stump, 93–102. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty & Staff choS larship at Digital Commons @ Luther Seminary. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Luther Seminary. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. st, NY: Human- 9 sily Press. Press. ress. the Science and Practical Objectivity dbnok of Religion Keeping Natural Science Natural a Feminist Cos­ · ckwick Publica- ALAN G. PADGETT dt!dge. A good Should natural science go natural (so to speak) or is there room in a properly natural science ieces by Code, for kinds of explanation other than natural ones? Is there room in a properly natural science for appeal to intelligent agency, for example?' This is the key question of our chapter, . Elmsford, NY: and it will take us some way into the philosophy of science and the relationship between d how biology science and Christian faith.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Book Reviews Section
    S & CB (2009), 21, 175–192 0954–4194 Book Reviews Anna Case-Winters and allows for divine action without vio- Reconstructing a Christian Theology lation of natural laws. Other panen- of Nature: Down to Earth theisms would presumably also achieve Aldershot/Burlington VT: Ashgate, 2007. this but she sees process thought’s value 183 pp. hb. £50.00. ISBN 978-0-7546- lying within its espousal of ‘panexperi- 5476-6 mentalism’, its ‘refusal of a material-spir- itual dualism in which God and the This is an attempt, from within the human being have a monopoly of spirit Reformed tradition, to contribute and the rest of nature is simply material’ towards ‘a more viable theology of (129). It lets God off the theodical hook to nature’(1). The author considers that the some extent, and provides a non-hierar- need for such a reinterpretation of exist- chical view of reality. ing theology lies in the ‘state of the world’ (the usual ecological suspects but pre- The strength of this book is its identifi- sented within a wider canvas of econom- cation of the wider issues (not just the ics and health issues) and the ‘state of ecological crisis) facing a theology of theology’. The latter includes the obvious nature and its juxtaposition of a number accusations, from Lynn White, of dualism of different approaches to dealing with between God and World leading to the problems she identifies. If you find anthropocentrism and the desacralisa- process thought a satisfying and coher- tion of nature. However, Case-Winters ent account of the world then you may expands the challenge to include attacks find her thesis convincing.
    [Show full text]
  • Angus Morrison, "Christian Freedom, Tolerance and the Claims of Truth
    CHRISTIAN FREEDOM, TOLERANCE AND THE CLAIMS OF TRUTH ANGUS MORRISON, ASSOCIA1ED PRESBY1ERIAN CHURCHES, EDINBURGH Introduction The subject of this paper is both vast and difficult. It is also one on which comparatively little has been written from an evangelical perspective. The issues which the topic throws up are, however, of far-reaching significance for the church as we move forward into a new millennium. The aims of this paper are modest - to highlight some of the key issues which need to be addressed in this area and to introduce some of the most useful relevant literature. 1. Historical Background From the outset, the church has recognized Christian liberty as one of the most basic privileges secured for her by Christ. 'It is for freedom that Christ has set us free' (Gal. 5:1). This privilege is based on the fact that we are members of God's family and as such, when proper place is given to the lawful exercise of ecclesiastical authority, we are bound to respect the Christ-bought freedom of others. The church also recognized that its freedom was qualified by the lawful exercise of civil power (as ordained by God), but insisted on the right of freedom from political repression as long as Christians carried out their secular duties to the state. Tertullian, for example, ridiculed forced religion, complaining that among the countless religions of the empire only the Christians were to be denied their own. Lactantius argued that worship must be free and voluntary. Likewise, widespread adherence in the early church to New Testament principles in dealing with errant members (non-use of violence and the exercise of discipline in a spirit of charity) enabled the early church 'to win a reputation for charity and non-violence of a kind rarely achieved by later.
    [Show full text]
  • Logic : the Question of Truth / Martin Heidegger ; Translated by Thomas Sheehan
    PHILOSOPHY Martin Heidegger LOGIC LOGIC THOMAS SHEEHAN is Professor of THE QUESTION OF TRUTH Religious Studies at Stanford University. Martin Heidegger Heidegger’s radical rethinking of LOGIC Translated by Thomas Sheehan the meaning of truth THE QUESTION OF TRUTH Martin Heidegger’s 1925–26 lectures on truth and time provided much of TRANSLATED BY Studies in Continental Thought “It would be difficult to overstate the scope the basis for his momentous work, John Sallis, editor Thomas Sheehan of the impact of the English version of Martin Heidegger Being and Time. Not published until Heidegger’s Logic. Heidegger carries 1976 as volume 21 of the Complete out nothing short of a fundamental Works, three months before Heideg- ger’s death, this work is central to reinterpretation of the meaning of truth Heidegger’s overall project of rein- and the foundations of logic. This is a fine terpreting Western thought in terms translation that contributes much to the of time and truth. The text shows the overall strength of the work.” degree to which Aristotle underlies Heidegger’s hermeneutical theory of —Theodore George, Texas A&M University meaning. It also contains Heidegger’s first published critique of Husserl and takes major steps toward establishing the temporal bases of logic and truth. Thomas Sheehan’s elegant and insight- ful translation offers English-speaking readers access to this fundamental text INDIANA for the first time. University Press Bloomington & Indianapolis www.iupress.indiana.edu INDIANA 1-800-842-6796 Logic Studies in Continental Thought EDITOR JOHN SALLIS CONSULTING EDITORS Robert Bernasconi William L. McBride Rudolf Bernet J.
    [Show full text]
  • 3.2 Y89 Science and Religion Chr Mus
    Wolverhampton SACRE RE Syllabus KS3 units: Religion and science A Unit of Work Agreed Syllabus for for Year 8 or Year Religious Education 9 RE Non-Statutory Key Stage 3 Exemplification Learning from religion and science How can we find the truth? Where did humanity and the universe originate? How can we answer the big questions of life? Wolverhampton SACRE RE Syllabus KS3 units: Religion and science Learning from religion and science. How can we find the truth? Where did humanity and the universe originate? How can we answer the big questions of life? YEAR GROUP: 8 or 9 (Some schools will also find material here useful for GCSE study) ABOUT THIS UNIT: This non-statutory unit is offered to teachers for guidance in planning and delivering RE from the Wolverhampton Agreed Syllabus. This unit is about the theme of religion and science, and examines issues of truth, explanation, meaning and purpose. It can be studied as a unit in two parts (Christian, Muslim) or in a more integrated way. The material here is challenging: the 2011 Wolverhampton syllabus intends to enable higher standards, but some pupils will access the unit through simplified activities. The unit links three themes from the key stage three programme of study that share a focus on examples from religion and science. This topic on the frontier between religion and philosophy is also studied in some GCSE RS specifications. The unit will provide these opportunities. Pupils have opportunities to consider a diverse range of views about questions of religion and science. From the study of sources of authority within religions and from science pupils will be able to examine and develop reasoned viewpoints on these questions.
    [Show full text]
  • Gs 1772B Special Agenda Iv Diocesan Synod Motions
    GS 1772B SPECIAL AGENDA IV DIOCESAN SYNOD MOTIONS COMPATIBILITY OF SCIENCE AND CHRISTIAN BELIEF A background paper from the Mission and Public Affairs Council Dr Peter Capon to move on behalf of the Manchester Diocesan Synod: ‘That this Synod, concerned at the promotion of a perceived need to choose between the claims of science and belief in God: (a) affirm the compatibility of belief in God and an understanding of science; and (b) urge the House of Bishops and all dioceses robustly to promote a better public understanding of the compatibility of science and Christian belief.’ 1. Introduction to the issues 1.1. Albert Einstein famously wrote ‘s cience without religion is lame, religion without science is blind. 1Many books have been written on the relationship between science and the Christian faith 2 and a full discussion of the subject would require another one. We therefore concentrate here on providing a background for the two main issues contained in the motion: the perceived need to choose between the claims of science and belief in God and compatibility between religious belief and an understanding of science 3. 1.2. Human beings are self-reflective creatures capable of wonder, awe and profound enquiry about themselves, the world, the universe and all that is in it. So it is in our nature to ask fundamental questions such as: why are we here? How did the universe begin and how will it end? Why am I as I am? Is there any purpose to human life? History shows that these questions have been addressed by philosophers, theologians, scientists, social commentators and artists down the ages and tested in many different social and intellectual contexts.
    [Show full text]
  • Alister Mcgrath – Why God Won’T Go Away: Engaging with the New Atheism SPCK 2011 - Notes by Alison Morgan
    Alister McGrath – Why God won’t go away: engaging with the New Atheism SPCK 2011 - Notes by Alison Morgan Introduction How it started – with 9/11, in 2011 – and the suggestion by atheists that religion is responsible for evil. People began to listen to Dawkins et al. PART I: WHAT IS THE NEW ATHEISM? 1. How it all started The term New Atheism was invented in 2006 by Gary Wolf, referring to a group consisting of Sam Harris (The End of Faith, 2004), Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion 2006) and Daniel Dennett (Breaking the Spell 2006). To be added was Christopher Hitchens, God is Not Great, 2007. Harris blamed religion as the cause of 9/11. Critics have pointed out his response to religion is ‘scientifically baseless, psychologically uninformed, politically naïve’ (anthropologist Scott Atran). Mark Juergensmeyer offered a more rigorous analysis in Terror in the Mind of God, 2000, that religious extremism reflects the failure of both secularism and modern nation states (esp the USA) to challenge and confront deprivation and injustice. Harris meanwhile suggests that ‘some propositions are so dangerous that it may even be ethical to kill people for believing them’. McGrath comments ‘the Inquisition, the Gestapo, the Taliban and the KGB could not have put it better’. Harris set the tone for New Atheism – what Anthony Flew calls ‘pseudo-refuting description’ – in which a vicious account of something was assumed to be equivalent to its dismissal on rational and evidential grounds. Dawkins insists faith is ‘non-thinking’, evil because it requires no justification and brooks no argument.
    [Show full text]
  • Creative Lives and Works; Antony Hewish, Martin Rees and Neil Turok
    Creative Lives and Works Dirac’s equation written by Neil Turok and Antony Hewish’s signature on the blackboard in Alan Macfarlane’s room, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Cambridge. Photograph courtesy Alan Macfarlane. Creative Lives and Works: Antony Hewish, Martin Rees and Neil Turok is a collection of interviews conducted by one of England’s leading social anthropologists and historians, Professor Alan Macfarlane. Filmed over a period of 40 years, the three conversations in this volume, are part of a larger set of interviews that cut across various disciplines, from the social sciences, the sciences and to even the performing and visual arts. The current volume on three of England’s foremost astrophysicists-cosmologists is the fourth in the series of several such books. Antony Hewish, who won the Nobel Prize in 1974, in the foreword to Questions of Truth writes, ‘The ghostly presence of virtual particles defies rational common sense and is non-intuitive for those unacquainted with physics.... But when the most elementary physical things behave in this way, we should be prepared to accept that the deepest aspects of our existence go beyond our common-sense understanding’. Sir Martin Rees eloquently puts forward the problems and challenges of the 21st century, in relation to science, ethics and politics. Like Hewish and Rees, Neil Turok also piques the layman’s interest in the mysteries of the cosmic world. Immensely riveting as conversations, this collection takes one into the world of boundless discoveries hidden among the blue skies. The book will be of enormous value not just to those interested in Astronomy and Cosmology as well as the History of Science, but also to those with an inquisitive mind.
    [Show full text]